INTERNATIONAL ROWING TURNS PROFESSIONAL Force application was hybrid-concurrent Kernschlag with crushing leg drive coordinated with an extraordinary 85˚ of dramatic back arc to very generous layback, another indication of British influence, albeit an amalgam of Thames Waterman and Fairbairn. Where they deviated most from the British norm was in their working-class attitude and work ethic. Historian Ustolin relates an anecdote about coxswain Cesare Milani taken from Oreste Grossi’s memoir, Canottaggio alla Ribalta.2818 “At the presentation of the young scions of Cambridge University, opponents of the Scarronzoni at [the 1932 Olympics], Milani realized that every rower was being described as a ‘peer of England,’ a title of nobility in the United Kingdom. After hearing yet another ‘peer of England,’ Milani cried out from his position of short stature, ‘Blessed are you who are equal! Livorno values everyone!’”2819 The blue collar world of community- based Italian rowing clubs full of athletes with full-time jobs was indeed a far cry from Britain’s University-based sport for the sons of gentlemen of leisure. Ustolin: “Even more typically Livornese is another curious episode that highlights the great pride of the Scarronzoni crew: Il Tirreno di Livorno: “They were training on the Lago di Maggiore at Pallanza and were leaving for a light row when one of the members laid down the gauntlet of challenge to his Livornese teammates, saying something extremely effective but seldom heard in international rowing circles: ‘Il budello di su’ mà a chi molla.’2820 2818 “Rowing in the Spotlight.” 2819 Ustolin, op. cit. 2820 dialect expression loosely and gently translated as “gutless like your mother.” “After several hours of hard rowing, recalls Grossi, ‘A motorboat arrived to stop us. We had crossed into Swiss waters [20 miles or 30 km up the lake from Pallanza].’”2821 1932 Olympic Final Riefenstahl, Olympia, Teil II: Fest der Schönheit Cesare Milani The Olympic final in 1932 was a race for the ages. Nobody cracked for 2,000 meters! The four contestants, Italy, Great Britain, Canada and the United States, broke from the stakeboats, and the Americans quickly gained a deck. With both the U.S. and Italy at 40, gli Scarronzoni got to within three feet at the 1,000. The New York Times called the boats even from 1,200 to 1,500 and had the Italians ahead with 100 meters to go.2822 Livorno sprinted at 42, and California surpassed them at 44. The last few strokes were ragged in the Scarronzone boat. As can be seen in the illustration in this chapter, several members had lost their body swing and layback. The Italian boat crossed the line perhaps three feet behind. 2821 Luciano di Majo, Era l’ultomo scarronzone, Il Tirenno di Livorno, February 16, 2008, p. 6 2822 See Chapter 57. 787
